Greer Burns & Crain is pleased to announce Paul R. Kitch took up the baton as President of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) on May 2, 2017.

Founded in 1884, IPLAC is the oldest intellectual property bar association in the United States and is highly respected by both the local and national judiciary. The Association has approximately 1,000 members in private and corporate practice, in government service, and in the academic community involved directly or indirectly in the practice of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition law. This Chicago-based association aids in the development of Intellectual Property law, especially in the federal courts.

“I am very honored to lead IPLAC at this critical time as the intellectual property landscape continues to shift in response to judicial and legislative changes in the law,” responded Mr. Kitch. “I look forward to working with my fellow officers and the IPLAC Board of Managers to best serve the members of IPLAC and the Chicago community at large.”

Mr. Kitch assists clients, especially high-tech companies and manufacturers, with strategic development, management and utilization of strong patent and trademark portfolios. One of the patent portfolios Mr. Kitch has been assisting a client build for over 20 years has been ranked #1 for patent quality by Crain’s Chicago Business Eureka Index in 2016, 2015 and 2013 and #2 in 2014. He focuses on patent prosecution, litigation and counseling and has repeatedly been successful in getting infringing products off the market and obtaining related damages. Additionally, he counsels clients concerning a variety of other aspects of intellectual property including copyright, trademark and other intellectual property matters. Mr. Kitch is often asked to speak about leading issues impacting patent law such as recent changes in the landscape of patent eligible subject matter.

Mr. Kitch is also the current Chair of the Patent Law Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA).

About Greer Burns & Crain, LTD

At GBC, we see the law as a tool to help shape our clients’ futures. We are constantly thinking about what is important to our clients now and next so we can foresee obstacles and opportunities in their space and smooth the way. We work together to handle complex challenges in litigation, patents, trademarks, anti-counterfeiting and all other facets of Intellectual Property Law anywhere in the world.

GBC was recently ranked as the busiest trademark litigation practice in the U.S. based on number of cases filed in the first quarter of 2017. GBC has also been recognized as Best in the USA for Software Trademark Portfolio Management, Best Technology Law Firm in the Midwestern USA, a leading law firm in Internet & Domain Name Disputes, Best Online Law Firm in Chicago, and Most Renowned IP Law Firm in Illinois.